Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section, which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine loads.
Both the compressor and turbine sections may include alternating series of rotating blades and stationary vanes that extend into the core flow path of the gas turbine engine. Sensors, such as optical fibers, pressure transducers, thermocouples, strain gauges, etc., may be provided adjacent to an airfoil section of a blade or vane to monitor the health and conditions of the associated component. In one example, a sensor blanket is provided over the airfoil section. In another example, cavities are machined into the airfoil section, and sensors are inserted into the cavities.